Indian and Pakistani Delegates at the Symposium

Pakistan India Symposium on Local Governance at Lahore

By Rita Sarin, Country Director, The Hunger Project in India

My first ever trip to Pakistan became a reality in the first week of July as I was part of a Government of India delegation for a Symposium on Local Governance led by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj held in Lahore 1-3 July 2007.

It was a totally different experience as I crossed the Wagah border dividing India and Pakistan by foot. All my childhood stories of Lahore being the heaven on earth as shared by my father who studied and grew up in Lahore became alive and I felt totally at ease as my roots were in that town. I was completely stuck by the affection there is among people of our two countries. I was further amazed by the other reality of our countries being as enemies for the past sixty years and not a shadow of that came between the Indian delegation and the people across the border.  

Rita at the Wagah border with Meenakshi Datta Ghosh, Secretary,MOPR & Dr. Rajesh Tandon, President, PRIA,

The Indian delegation was hosted and organized by National Reconstruction Bureau of Pakistan. Mr. Daniyal Aziz, the chairman of the Bureau was most hospitable, charming and brilliant in his discourse during the 3 days. In fact it was a perfect match to our Minister Mr. Aiyar who stands out as most informed and charming and a brilliant orator.

Sharing of History of Local Government System between the two countries was similar and had similar concerns in making it a reality. My participation as a woman leader who heads an organization completely committed to building the leadership of elected women leaders to village panchayats was both enriching and deep. The Indian delegation was

                                     

unique as it had participation of elected women representatives who mesmerized the delegates with sharing of their work in the villages and their abilities to plan and execute projects on health, water and education for their families and communities in their villages.

The Minister, Mr. Mani Shankar ji from India used this platform to the maximum when it comes to the role of elected women representatives and Government of India’s commitment to it. The sharing by THP on capacity building and five year cycle of work was seen as a breakthrough and a request by Ms. Rehana Hashmi, NPM Women Political School, Islamabad to work together on this in order to bring the experience to Pakistan was very validating. The need for women Tehsil and Zilla Nizams in Pakistan to access appropriate support and training was as clear as it has been in India for the past 10 years.

This symposium has opened the door and it is a matter of time before the elected women leaders from the villages of both the countries work as comrades and change the face of poverty, deprivation and inequity from their villages.